Lunheng 論衡 "Discussive weighing" is a philosophical treatise written during the Later Han period 後漢 (25-220) by Wang Chong 王充 (27-97 CE).
It took himself thirty years to complete his book. Of the originally 85 chapters one is lost (Zhaozhi 招致). Wang Chong screened a vast amount of ancient literature to obtain a pool of statements of the supernatural, which he wanted to engage in a scientific dispute. Wang Chong is highly esteemed both in China and in the West as one of the first philosophers who critically analysed history books and stories to eliminate superstitious elements. Especially two beliefs were attacked by Wang Chong, firstly the belief that human deeds were somehow redeemed by Heaven as a moral instance (ganying 感應), and secondly, the belief in magic and omens. There was a very popular tradition of explaining the Confucian Classics in terms of portents sent down by Heaven, as expressed in the vast treasury of apocryphal (chenwei 讖緯) literature.
Wang Chong did not believe in a thorough and mutual connectivity of all objects existing in the universe (see correlative thinking) which would make the existence of all objects, physical qualities and human emotions dependent on a set of other conditions in the universe, and which would postulate that—like in the biblical sense—the universe was complete in its actual state. Wang, quite contrary, believed that, for instance, the existence of certain plants was not the result of Heaven's will to nourish humans, or that thunder, inundations, the appearance of phoenixes or strange sprites, were caused by good or evil behaviour of a ruler. The existence of all objects and their qualities was accidental (ziran 自然), as Wang Chong believed, and not the result of a higher metaphysical plan. Heaven was also not the force enthroning a ruler by assigning to him the Heavenly Mandate, but men became sovereigns by way of their own powers and favoured by historical circumstances. Ghosts could simply not exist, because there was no spirit (jing 精) without body (ti 體), just as there is no fire without fuel. Wang also doubted the existence of innate knowledge because everyone had to gather experience acquire knowledge.
There is a commentary written by Huang Hui 黃暉, the Lunheng jiaoshi 論衡校釋, Liu Pan's 劉盼 Lunheng jijie 論衡集解, and the commentary Lunheng zhushi 論衡注釋 written by the modern scholar by Gao Suheng 高蘇垣.
The Lunheng was quite widespread from the Southern and Northern Dynasties period 南北朝 (300~600) on and was categorized as a writing of miscellaneous masters (zajia 雜家). One reason for its popularity might be that it was the oldest book in which systematically stories of bizarre events were assembled, and this genre (zhiguai 志怪) was one of the most favoured types through the history of Chinese literature.
During the Qing period 清 (1644-1911), some scholars doubted the authenticity of many chapters of the Lunheng, like Xiong Bolong 熊伯龍 (1617-1669), who believed the chapters Wen Kong 問孔 and Ci Meng 刺孟 to be later insertions.
There is a moveable-type printing from the Song period 宋 (960-1279) preserved in the Beijing Library 北京圖書館, as well as a fragmentary print of 30 juan from the Yuan 元 (1279-1368) or early Ming period 明 (1368-1644). A fragment of 25 juan of a Song-period print is preserved in the Library of the Imperial Household Agency (Kunai-chō shoryō-bu zushoryō 宮内庁書陵部図書寮) in Japan. There is also a print from Su Xianke's 蘇獻可 Tongjincao Studio 通津草堂 from 1535, and Cheng Rong's 程榮 print in the series Han-Wei congshu 漢魏叢書 from 1573. The Lunheng is also to be found in the series Siku quanshu 四庫全書, Zengding Han-Wei congshu 增訂漢魏叢書, Longxi jingshe congshu 龍溪精舍叢書, Sibu congkan 四部叢刊 and Congshu jicheng 叢書集成初編.
There is a complete English translation by Alfred Forke (1962), Lun-Heng: Philosophical Essays of Wang Ch‘ung (New York: Paragon).
1. | 逢遇篇 | Fengyu | Success and luck |
2. | 累害篇 | Leihai | Annoyances and vexations |
3. | 命祿篇 | Minglu | On destiny and fortune |
4. | 氣壽篇 | Qishou | Long life and vital fluid |
5. | 幸偶篇 | Xing'ou | On chance and luck |
6. | 命義篇 | Mingyi | What is meant by destiny? |
7. | 無形篇 | Wuxing | Unfounded assertions |
8. | 率性篇 | Shuaixing | The forming of characters |
9. | 吉驗篇 | Jiyan | Auspicious portents |
10. | 偶會篇 | Ouhui | Coincidences |
11. | 骨相篇 | Guxiang | On anthroposcopy |
12. | 初稟篇 | Chubing | Heaven's original gift |
13. | 本性篇 | Benxing | On original nature |
14. | 物勢篇 | Wushi | The nature of things |
15. | 奇怪篇 | Qiguai | Miracles |
16. | 書虛篇 | Shuxu | Falsehoods in books |
17. | 變虛篇 | Bianxu | Ficticious phenomena |
18. | 異虛篇 | Yixu | Ficticious prodigies |
19. | 感虛篇 | Ganxu | Ficticious influences |
20. | 福虛篇 | Fuxu | Wrong notions about happiness |
21. | 禍虛篇 | Huoxu | Wrong notions about unhappiness |
22. | 龍虛篇 | Longxu | On dragons |
23. | 雷虛篇 | Leixu | On thunder and lightning |
24. | 道虛篇 | Daoxu | Daoist untruths |
25. | 語增篇 | Yuzeng | Exaggerations |
26. | 儒增篇 | Ruzeng | Exaggerations of the literati |
27. | 藝增篇 | Yizeng | Literary exaggerations |
28. | 問孔篇 | Wen Kong | Criticisms on Confucius |
29. | 非韓篇 | Fei Han | Strictures on Han Feizi |
30. | 刺孟篇 | Ci Meng | Censures on Mengzi |
31. | 談天篇 | Tantian | On Heaven |
32. | 說日篇 | Shuori | On the Sun |
33. | 答佞篇 | Daning | On the cunning and artful |
34. | 程材篇 | Chengcai | Weighing of talents |
35. | 量知篇 | Liangzhi | The valuation of knowledge |
36. | 謝短篇 | Xieduan | Admitting shortcomings |
37. | 效力篇 | Xiaoli | The display of energy |
38. | 別通篇 | Bietong | On intelligence |
39. | 超奇篇 | Chaoqi | On preeminence |
40. | 狀留篇 | Zhuangliu | Apparent backwardness |
41. | 寒溫篇 | Hanwen | On heat and cold |
42. | 譴告篇 | Qiangao | On reprimands |
43. | 變動篇 | Biandong | Phenomenal changes |
44. | 招致篇 | Zhaozhi | Results of moral behaviour |
45. | 明雩篇 | Mingwu | On the rain sacrifice |
46. | 順鼓篇 | Shungu | Gentle drums |
47. | 亂龍篇 | Luanlong | A last word on dragons |
48. | 遭虎篇 | Caohu | The tiger trouble |
49. | 適蟲篇 | Shichong | Remarks on insects |
50. | 講瑞篇 | Jiangrui | Arguments on ominous creatures |
51. | 指瑞篇 | Zhirui | Thoughts on omens |
52. | 是應篇 | Shiying | Auguries verified |
53. | 治期篇 | Zhiqi | Periods of government |
54. | 自然篇 | Ziran | Spontaneity |
55. | 感類篇 | Ganlei | Sympathetic emotions |
56. | 齊世篇 | Qishi | The quality of ages |
57. | 宣漢篇 | Xuan Han | Praise of the Han dynasty |
58. | 恢國篇 | Huiguo | Further remarks on the state |
59. | 驗符篇 | Yanfu | Ominous signs investigated |
60. | 須頌篇 | Xusong | The necessity of eulogies |
61. | 佚文篇 | Yiwen | Lost texts |
62. | 論死篇 | Lunsi | On death |
63. | 死偽篇 | Siwei | False reports about the death |
64. | 紀妖篇 | Jiyao | Spook stories |
65. | 訂鬼篇 | Dinggui | All about ghosts |
66. | 言毒篇 | Yandu | On poison |
67. | 薄葬篇 | Bozang | Simplicity of funerals |
68. | 四諱篇 | Siwei | Four things to be avoided |
69. | 譋時篇 | Lanshi | False charges against time |
70. | 譏日篇 | Jiri | Slandering of days |
71. | 卜筮篇 | Bushi | On divination |
72. | 辨祟篇 | Biansui | Criticisms on noxious influences |
73. | 難歲篇 | Nansui | Questions about the Year Star |
74. | 詰術篇 | Jieshu | Criticism on certain theories |
75. | 解除篇 | Jiechu | On exorcism |
76. | 祀義篇 | Siyi | Sacrifices to the departed |
77. | 祭意篇 | Jiyi | Sacrifices |
78. | 實知篇 | Shizhi | The knowledge of truth |
79. | 知實篇 | Zhishi | The real nature of knowledge |
80. | 定賢篇 | Dingxian | A definition of worthies |
81. | 正說篇 | Zhengshuo | Statements corrected |
82. | 書解篇 | Shujie | On literary works |
83. | 案書篇 | Anshu | Critical remarks on various books |
84. | 對作篇 | Duizuo | Replies in self-defence |
85. | 自紀篇 | Ziji | Autobiography |